Category: The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), Mr Ridhiwan Kikwete, has directed Watumishi Housing Investment (WHI) to diversify its financing sources in order to scale up the construction of affordable homes for public servants.

Mr Kikwete said Tanzania’s Vision 2050 requires the delivery of one million housing units–a target he insisted cannot be met if WHI continues to rely heavily on government budget allocations, which are already overstretched by competing national priorities. Speaking during a meeting with WHI staff shortly after being sworn in, the Minister issued several directives aimed at strengthening the institution’s operational efficiency and enhancing its profitability.

“The government budget must finance schools, health centres and other national priorities. If WHI depends on it alone, the dream of reaching one million homes will not be realised.

You must seek financing from multiple institutions to achieve your target of thousands of houses. The government budget will only facilitate,” he said.

He also instructed WHI to embrace digital solutions that enable public servants to browse, apply for and purchase homes remotely. “We are living in a digital era.

People no longer have the time to visit project sites physically. If possible, an employee should be able to buy a house from anywhere in the country,” he said.

Mr Kikwete commended WHI for establishing the Faida Fund, describing it as an innovative and well-performing initiative, but urged the institution to raise the visibility of its products. “You must widely publicise your housing projects and the Faida Fund.

Many Tanzanians complain simply because they are unaware of the projects already completed. Public education is essential,” he said.

He further stressed that quality must remain central to all construction works, urging WHI to adopt modern, cost-efficient technologies that do not impose additional financial burdens on public servants. Speaking yesterday, WHI acting chief executive officer, Mr Stephane Solomon, said the institution manages two funds–the Housing Fund and the Faida Fund–both of which are performing strongly with plans for further improvements.

“The Faida Fund has reached S9 billion, and by June next year its value is expected to reach Sh54 billion, with dividends for investors expected to rise beyond the current 13.9 percent,” he said. “In this financial year, we expect to complete the construction of 221 houses in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, particularly in district areas, to ensure teachers working in those locations are provided with proper housing and to ease shortages.

” He added that construction is ongoing in various regions due to growing demand for housing. “Currently, the sales rate of our houses is about 18 percent, but we continue to request the government to consider reducing certain taxes on construction materials so that workers can purchase these houses at a rate lower than 18 percent,” he added.

To boost employees’ income, WHI has introduced the e-Wekeza system, which enables public servants to invest by contributing a minimum of Sh57,000 and earn profits. Finance Director Mr Pascal Massawe said that by November, more than 800 employees had invested a total of Sh54.8 million through the system, which was launched in June this year.

“The aim is to help public servants secure an additional source of income upon retirement rather than relying solely on their pension. We began with 200 employees, and within a short period the number has reached 800. By the end of the year we expect the figure to surpass 1,000,” he said.

Mr Massawe added that the next major focus will be expanding public education so employees can utilise the platform fully, noting that salary-based deductions will bring significant transformation in the coming two years. .

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian conservationist Rahima Njaidi has been named the winner of African conservation award that recognised her outstanding leadership and impact in safeguarding wildlife and natural ecosystems.

The annual Tusk Awards for Conservation in Africa, recognise African conservationists who have demonstrated innovation and made significant contributions to biodiversity protection across the continent. They also celebrate individuals committed to community-led conservation, sustainable environmental management, and long-term ecological resilience.

Ms Njaidi, a lawyer by profession and Executive Director of Tanzania Community Forest Conservation Network or Mjumita in its Kiswahili, received the honour during a ceremony held on Wednesday in London, UK. Ms Njaidi was honoured for her transformative leadership in community-based forest management, her advocacy for land rights and gender equality, and her pioneering work in promoting people-centred conservation models that protect Tanzania’s forests.

With the achievement, she becomes the first Tanzanian to receive the accolade and only the third woman in Africa to win in the Community-Based Conservation category since 2013. Speaking to The Citizen, Ms Njaidi said she did not know who nominated her, but believes the award reflects the collective efforts of Mjumita and the communities it supports. “Honestly, I don’t know who nominated me, but I believe this award speaks to the impact of the work Mjumita is doing with communities.

It is a great honour for the organisation, for Tanzania, and for women who dedicate their lives to conservation,” she said. “For me, it is a surprise.

I did not expect that there are people who recognise my efforts in conservation. This award has motivated me to work even harder, but it also inspires citizens to continue supporting conservation initiatives.

” She noted that the conservation sector has long been dominated by men, emphasising that she is only the third woman to be recognised in her category in more than a decade. Ms Njaidi’s conservation journey began in the early 2000s, when she developed a strong interest in working directly with communities.

She said the award would help Mjumita expand its work to more regions. “The good thing is that community members themselves are eager to join Mjumita, but we are constrained by limited financial and human resources.

We want a greener Tanzania, where forests contribute to the wellbeing of citizens,” she said. She added that she hopes to see more unmanaged forest areas placed under village conservation systems.

Born in Dodoma, Ms Njaidi grew up listening to her grandfather’s stories warning against the destruction of forests–stories that instilled in her a deep respect for nature and the belief that forests are sacred spaces to be protected rather than exploited. She founded Mjumita in 2007 as Tanzania’s only community-led forest conservation network aimed at empowering rural communities to manage and safeguard their natural resources.

The organisation operates across several regions, strengthening community-based forest governance, ensuring fair benefits from natural resources, and promoting conservation education among women, youth and vulnerable groups. Key partners supporting Mjumita include village forest conservation groups, local government authorities, and several international environmental organisations committed to sustainable forest and land management.

Ms Njaidi said that in the Coast Region, particularly in Nyamwage Village, Mjumita is implementing a climate adaptation project aimed at building community capacity. “We are training them in good governance, economic projects, and forest management.

Our goal is to empower citizens to become the defenders of their own forests,” she said. .

Dar es Salaam. Organisers of Tanzania Startup Week have released the official programme for the 2025 edition, describing it as a launchpad for turning the country’s Vision 2050 ambitions into practical investment, skills development, and policy action.

The theme for the event, which will run from December 1 to 5, is Positioning Startups for Vision 2050: Unleashing Innovation, Inclusion, and Economic Transformation in Africa. The government has reiterated that innovation and digital transformation will guide Tanzania’s long-term development path, and the week aims to shift discussions from broad policy ideas to concrete steps that can drive economic growth.

The organising team says the 2025 edition seeks to align entrepreneurs, investors, regulators, and academia with the central goals of Dira 2050. The blueprint outlines a competitive, inclusive, and innovation-driven economy. The five-day programme will bring together startups from across the country, government leaders, corporate executives, development partners, and venture capital firms.

Organisers note that the event has evolved into a national platform for deal-making, talent development, and ecosystem building, further strengthening its strategic importance. The programme opens with plenary discussions on implementing the Tanzania Startup Policy launched this year.

The policy aims to remove barriers that have slowed early-stage ventures. Panellists will discuss regulatory reforms, incentives for high-growth startups, and the importance of digital public infrastructure in supporting innovation across sectors.

Financing will dominate the second day. Panels will explore venture capital, blended finance, and alternative funding models that could ease the chronic capital gaps facing startups from the pre-seed stage to growth phases.

The goal is to strengthen investor confidence and boost deal flow as Tanzania works toward a projected $1 trillion digital economy by 2050, an aspiration that has drawn growing regional attention. Human capital is another major focus.

Discussions will assess how universities and industry can collaborate to close the skills gap. Organisers say young Tanzanians–whom they describe as the “missing middle”–must be equipped to play a more active role in an innovation-led economy.

“Startup Week 2025 is a mobilisation toward the future of Tanzania’s economy,” the organisers said in a statement yesterday. .

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has reiterated that Tanzania remains a safe and secure destination for international travellers. Speaking at Lake Manyara National Park on Thursday, Minister Dr Ashatu Kijaji said the country continues to welcome high numbers of visitors drawn to its diverse attractions.

“This undertaking serves to reaffirm to all visitors that Tanzania remains a safe, peaceful, and secure destination for leisure travel. We stand fully prepared to receive tourists and to provide them with exceptional service throughout their stay,” Some of the tourists from Portugal at Ngorongoro Gate Dr.

Kijaji is leading a special mission covering all 21 national parks to assess preparedness and reinforce confidence in Tanzania’s tourism sector. She noted that tourists from Italy currently visiting the country have expressed satisfaction with their experience and praised Tanzania’s natural beauty.

.

Dodoma. The Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), Ridhiwani Kikwete, has said he is prepared to appear before the Ethics Secretariat for Public Leaders to clarify allegations linking him to fuel stations reportedly owned by Lake Oil.

Lake Oil emerges as the leading casualty of this year’s election-related violence when tens of its filling stations were torched. Those behind the chaos believe the company belongs to Ridhiwan Kikwete, son of former President Jakaya Kikwete.

Addressing ministry staff in Dodoma on 26 November 2025, Mr Kikwete said information relating to the conduct of public servants must remain transparent. He noted that whenever doubts arise, the individuals concerned should be summoned and the evidence made clear to the public.

“Complaints against leaders have been many; it is not known which ones are true and which ones are not,” he said. He said that recent protests had fuelled further accusations about the integrity of public leaders, citing reports alleging that businessman Ali Edha Awadh, whose Lake Oil petrol stations have been associated with him, is the real owner.

Mr Kikwete urged members of the Ethics Secretariat to summon him without hesitation so he could “set the record straight”. He also called on the commission to conduct a thorough investigation before briefing journalists and to present any additional evidence that could help provide citizens with accurate and reliable information .

Dar es Salaam. Young Tanzanian entrepreneur Peter Didas Mallya, popularly known as Pedima, is increasingly making his mark in the country’s business landscape as his ventures grow across finance, technology, health and youth employment.

His expanding portfolio is positioning him as an emerging force in Tanzania’s innovation and enterprise ecosystem. Through his companies, Pedima Enterprises, Pedima Microfinance, Pacify Limited and LocalPesa Limited, Pedima has established himself among the young leaders driving digital transformation and offering innovative services aimed at improving the lives of Tanzanians.

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey and his vision for the nation, Pedima said he is committed to building Tanzanian companies capable of competing at the global level. He emphasised that his broader mission is to expand financial inclusion, create job opportunities and nurture a new generation of local entrepreneurs.

“I believe in building Tanzanian companies capable of competing internationally. My goal is to increase financial equity, job opportunities, and grow a new generation of entrepreneurs in the country,” he said.

He said that his companies continue to contribute significantly to society through innovations designed to address various challenges faced by citizens. “Pedima Enterprises provides super-agency and mobile money aggregation services, enabling agents and businesses to conduct transactions more easily,” he said.

On Pedima Microfinance, he noted that the institution has become an important pillar for young people and small business owners by offering affordable loans and entrepreneurship training. Regarding LocalPesa Limited, he said the company focuses on developing digital payment systems and online financial services, an approach that enhances financial inclusion across the country.

Speaking on Pacify Limited, he said the company manufactures health products such as Pacify Organic Pads, which provide safe, high-quality and affordable solutions for women. In just a few years, Pedima’s achievements have earned him several national and international accolades, including the 2023 FOYA Founder of the Year (Under 30), the 2024 Africa Company of the Year Awards (Company to Watch of the Year), the 2024 CEO Top 100 Awards (CEO of the Year), the 2025 Africa Company of the Year Awards (Fintech Company of the Year), the 2025 Global Recognition Award, and the 2025 CEO Top 100 Awards (CEO of the Year) .

Dar es Salaam. The government of Qatar has handed over 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles to the ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.

The donation was made free of charge and without conditions. Qatar’s ambassador to Tanzania, Fahad Rashid Al-Murikhi, presented the vehicles to the minister for Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, during a ceremony in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.

Mr Kombo said the vehicles would improve the ministry’s operations, particularly for diplomatic missions, hosting international guests, and daily work. “We are grateful for this support.

The vehicles will help the ministry carry out its duties more effectively,” he said. Analysts said the donation strengthens Tanzania’s diplomatic capacity by providing reliable transport for overseas missions and government operations.

The ceremony was attended by senior ministry officials and representatives from the Qatari embassy. It is part of broader cooperation between Tanzania and Qatar in areas including energy, tourism, education, and employment.

.

There are few things in life that test your patience quite like a failed transaction. You stand at a till or stare at your mobile app, you authorize a payment, you wait for that familiar confirmation message and then.

nothing. No service.

No product. But the money? Gone.

Like it sprinted out of your account without even leaving a forwarding address. And to make things worse, you’re told the most infuriating sentence in modern-day customer service: “Please wait up to 72 hours for the reversal.

” Every time I hear that line, I feel like asking, “Why exactly am I the one being punished for something I didn’t cause?” Because let’s be honest the system didn’t fail them. It failed me.

I didn’t wake up and decide to make a phantom transaction just for fun. I did my part.

The bank or service provider is the one who dropped the ball. Yet somehow, I’m the one sent into financial limbo.

Imagine this, You’ve budgeted your week down to the last shilingi. Maybe you’re paying for fuel, buying groceries, settling a bill, or picking up a few things on the way home.

The money leaves your account, but the service says, “Oops, transaction failed.” And instead of instant correction, you’re given a digital version of “Go sit in the corner and wait.

” Three days. Seventy-two hours.

One weekend of stress, depending on the timing. We’re living in a world where payments happen in seconds.

You can send money across continents faster than it takes to toast bread. So why does a reversal need the patience of a monk? Why, in 2025, are we still accepting a timeline that feels like it was approved in the 1980s and never revised? Now let’s talk about that “72 hours.

” Because I have questions. Who set it? Is it based on actual processing timelines, or is it just one of those arbitrary customer-service phrases companies learned to throw around because nobody challenges them? “72 hours” sounds official.

It sounds technical. It sounds like someone in a suit once stood up in a meeting and said, “Let’s give ourselves three days, people won’t complain too much.

” Well, we’re complaining now. The truth is, there’s a power imbalance in how financial systems handle errors.

When you delay paying them, there are penalties. Late fees.

Interest. Warnings.

Your credit score crying in the corner. But when they delay giving you back your money, you’re expected to be calm, logical, and understanding.

It’s almost impressive how quickly the tone changes when the tables turn. Think about customer service lines too.

You call for help, already annoyed because your money is floating somewhere in the digital universe, and after a few mandatory “We apologize for the inconvenience” statements, the agent drops the 72-hour bomb on you with the confidence of someone handing out good news. Meanwhile, you’re calculating how many things you can’t do because your money is out there enjoying a 3-day vacation.

And here’s the funniest part: if the money had gone through by mistake like double charging, you would still be told to wait the same 72 hours. So no matter what direction the system fails in, their answer is always a waiting period long enough for someone to take a weekend trip to Zanzibar and come back refreshed.

At what point do financial institutions take accountability for the speed mismatch between taking money and returning it? Why is there no urgency on their side? Why is the consumer expected to absorb the inconvenience every single time? This isn’t even about being dramatic; it’s about fairness. We deserve systems that work consistently, and when they don’t, we deserve resolutions that don’t hold our money hostage.

Three days may not seem like much to a corporation, but to an actual human being navigating real life, 72 hours is a long time. Maybe it’s time we start asking harder questions.

Because if digital payments can happen in seconds, reversals shouldn’t need a whole mini-marathon. Until then here we are.

Annoyed, waiting, and wondering why our money seems to travel back slower than a daladala stuck in peak-hour traffic .

Dar es Salaam. Zanzibar’s clove industry, took a hit as global oversupply, falling prices, and climate-driven shifts in production patterns send export earnings tumbling.

Fresh data from the Bank of Tanzania shows that the value of clove exports collapsed by 76 percent in the year ending September 2025, falling to $6.3 million from $26.3 million a year earlier. During the same period export volumes also shrank sharply from 3,900 tonnes to 1,200 tonnes, underscoring the double hit of weaker output and unfavourable global prices.

Officials say the downturn reflects both a cyclical dip in production and significant changes in global market dynamics. The Zanzibar State Trade Corporation (ZSTC), the sole buyer and exporter of the Isles’ cloves, says the world market is now crowded with new producers, eroding the premium Zanzibar once enjoyed.

ZSTC’s public relations officer Mr Ali Mohamed said, “We buy all the cloves directly from farmers and sell them internationally, but global conditions are currently not favourable”. He told The Citizen: “Several countries have expanded into clove production, increasing global supply and making the market more competitive.

” According to Mr Mohamed historically, Zanzibar’s cloves follow a predictable two-season cycle — a main harvest and a smaller secondary crop. But climate change is now disrupting that rhythm.

He said “Traditionally, we have two clear production seasons, but these patterns have become increasingly unpredictable. Rainfall is irregular, temperatures fluctuate, and flowering cycles are shifting.

Farmers no longer know what to expect.” These disruptions have led to inconsistent yields in recent years, amplifying the impact of global market shifts.

Clove exports were not the only casualty. Seaweed — Zanzibar’s second major agricultural export — also recorded a 39.7 percent decline, dropping to $3.1 million from $5.17 million recorded in the preceding year.

Together, the declines in cloves and seaweed contributed to the 35.5 percent drop in Zanzibar’s total goods exports, which went from $54.92 billion in year ending September 2024 to $35.43 billion during a corresponding period in 2025. Despite the export slump, Zanzibar is pushing forward with structural reforms. ZSTC recently rolled out a digital management system aimed at modernizing the clove trade, improving transparency, and reducing leakages.

Mr Mohammed said the system has already been transformative: “We introduced a digital platform for farmer registration, payments, and delivery records. It has solved many of the operational challenges we used to face.

Errors that once complicated our processes have been greatly reduced, and now all our systems are integrated and communicating with each other.” The reform is expected to strengthen traceability in the clove value chain, enhance payment efficiency, and reduce disputes — long-standing issues that farmers had frequently raised.

The sharp drop in clove and seaweed earnings contrasts with the booming performance of the services sector. According to the central bank data tourist arrivals rose by 28.2 percent to 885,385 visitors, helping offset the steep decline in agricultural exports from Zanzibar.

Meanwhile in the imports of goods and services rose by 18.9 percent to $658.4 million in the year ending September 2025, compared to the amount recorded in the same period in 2024. The BoT attributed the rise in heightened imports of goods, particularly capital and consumer goods. Imports of capital goods in Zanzibar increased by 84.7 percent to $73.6 million, mainly attributed to increased imports of industrial transport equipment.

.

Washington/ Johannesburg. Donald Trump said South Africa will not be invited to take part in next year’s G20 summit in Florida after Washington boycotted the leaders’ summit in Johannesburg last week, which the African nation called a “punitive” measure against it.

The Group of 20 leaders adopted a declaration on Saturday to address the climate crisis and other global challenges despite U.S.

objections, prompting the White House to accuse South Africa of weaponising its leadership of the group this year. “At the conclusion of the G20, South Africa refused to hand off the G20 Presidency to a Senior Representative from our U.

S. Embassy, who attended the Closing Ceremony,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday.

“Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20, which will be hosted in the Great City of Miami, Florida next year.” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office called Trump’s post “regrettable.

” Ramaphosa said that since the U.S.

delegation was not present at the summit last week, “instruments of the G20 Presidency were duly handover to a U.S.

Embassy official at the Headquarters of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.” Since taking office for a second time in January, Trump has been critical of the South African government’s domestic and foreign policies.

“It is regrettable that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the U.S.

, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country,” Ramaphosa’s office said. Trump has repeatedly alleged that South Africa’s Black-majority government persecutes its white minority, and that there was a genocide of white farmers in the country, claims that have been widely discredited.

In a White House meeting in May, Trump confronted South Africa’s leader with false claims of white genocide. Trump said on Wednesday that his administration was “going to stop all payments and subsidies” to South Africa, effective immediately.

Trump signed an executive order in February to cut financial assistance for South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and of its genocide case at the International Court of Justice against Washington’s ally, Israel. .